Tag Archives: Steve Svetovich

Athlete of the Month: Gabe Franek

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Gabe Franek, left, is joined in this picture by his brother, Luke, who is a sophomore at Dunmore High.

By Steve Svetovich

The Dunmore Bucks football team started the season 0-4, but a second half surge landed the team in district playoff action.

Dunmore senior tailback/defensive back Gabe Franek was one of the big reasons the Bucks made it to the District 2 Class 2A championship game, a 24-6 loss to Riverside, Friday, November 8, at Riverside Veterans Memorial Stadium. The senior standout scored Dunmore’s lone touchdown on an eight-yard run.

The 5-10, 165-pound tailback scored four touchdowns, three on runs of 10, 10 and 37 yards and another on a two-yard pass from quarterback Jack McNeff, in Dunmore’s 47-34 win over Susquehanna in the district semifinal Saturday, November 2. Gabe rushed for 110 yards in the win.

Dunmore back Izaiah Parker also scored three rushing touchdowns in the win over Susquehanna.

After an 0-4 start, the Bucks won five of their next seven games, including the district playoff win over Susquehanna.

“We never gave up,” Gabe said. “We’re a close knit team. We went to practice every single day and worked harder. We practiced like a 4-0 team. We practiced like a winner and it paid off.”

Son of Tom and Angela Franek, the senior stalwart said his parents push him to be the best.

“They tell me to go out there every day and be accountable. Go all out every play.”

Gabe, 18, rushed for 705 yards on 166 carries and nine touchdowns for Dunmore this season. He also caught 12 passes for 128 yards and two more touchdowns. He led the Bucks in points scored with 66.

The shifty senior also excels from his defensive back position where he was selected as an all-star as a junior.

A four-year member of the Dunmore football team, Gabe will be entering his fourth season on the track and field team in the spring.

Outstanding in track and field, he earned all-star recognition in the hurdles last year and he and his teammates placed seventh in the state in the 4 X 14.

Gabe said he is thinking about running track in college. He is not sure where he will attend college yet, but would like to major in marketing.

The scholar-athlete has a 3.7 academic average. His best academic subject is statistics.

He talked about what it takes to excel as a tailback in high school.

“You need to be able to read the defense. We put a lot of time in the weight room, too. Our fullback Xavier Burke and I always lift together. We put the time in to get better. We push each other.”

The tough-minded senior said he works equally as hard to excel at defensive back.

“You need to read the opponent’s offense well, be smart and quick and see when the receiver is coming.”

The multi-talented senior said he likes listening to music in his spare time and would like to see The Beastie Boys in concert.

He talked about his future goals. “I want to graduate college, get a good job, and make good money.”

Gabe said he has learned a lot from Dunmore veteran football coach Kevin McHale.

“He teaches me to work hard on the field, be a good teammate and help everyone.”

The hard-working senior said he is enjoying his experience at Dunmore High School.

“It’s been great,” he said. “It’s like a family here. Everyone here knows each other.”

Former Dunmore standout leads Penn State Lady Lions

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By Steve Svetovich

Former Dunmore standout Moriah Murray has seen her minutes increase to the point she is playing a key role for the Penn State Lady Lions this season.

Moriah, a sophomore, has quickly become one of the leaders on a team that won its first five games at press time.

Daughter of Joe Murray and Lynn Tugend, she scored 23 points in Penn State’s 100-55 win over Monmouth University on Sunday, November 17. She hit on 7-of-14 of her 3-point shots and added three steals and two assists in the win.

She scored 28 points in Penn State’s 90-68 opening night win over Bucknell Monday, November 4. Moriah hit on 8-of-16 of her 3-pointers and added four rebounds, three steals and an assist.

She scored 26 points in Penn State’s third win of the season at the hands of Duquesne University, 92-83, Sunday, November 10. She hit 6-of-10 of her 3-point shots and added four rebounds in 35 minutes.

Moriah scored 17 points in the Lady Lions 104-45 win over Niagara University Thursday, November 14. She hit on 5-of-10 of her 3-point shots and added two rebounds, two assists and a steal.

The sophomore stalwart is averaging close to 20 points per game for the season, with a 47.1 field goal percentage.

Even more important, Moriah is improving with every game.

“I really grinded in the off season,” Moriah said after pouring in 26 points in the win over Monmouth. “It’s a credit to my coach Carolyn Kieger. She worked with me. She prepped me for the season. She helped build my confidence and that’s what changed from last year.

“Coach Kieger is a great person. She has given me the confidence to feel comfortable on the court. She wants me to take 15 total 3-pointers a game. She’s given me the green light and my 3-point shot is on now.”

The hard-working sophomore guard is not surprised by Penn State’s fast start. “There are a lot of freshman players on the team this year. There are only four returning players. It’s like a new team. My teammate Alli Campbell and I have taken on leadership roles. We came into the season very prepared and are playing very well as a team.”

The former Dunmore standout said the goals are high at Penn State. “We take things day-by -day, but want to improve every game. Our goal is to win the Big 10 title and go as far as possible in the tournament that follows. We want to win it all.”

Moriah said she stays in constant touch with Ben O’Brien, her former coach at Dunmore who now coaches the University of Scranton Lady Royals. “He just texted me,” she said. “He texts me after every game. He was a big part in my development as a basketball player. I wouldn’t be where I am today if not for him.”

Moriah is studying Elementary Education at Penn State. Her goal is to become a teacher and she doesn’t rule out coaching or even continuing a basketball career at some level after her collegiate career is over. “I will consider those things later,” she said. “But right now I still have two years after this one to,play basketball at Penn State. I want to concentrate on this now and in the next couple years.”

And the scholar-athlete loves Penn State. “It’s close to home,” she said. “It’s like family here. I have so many more friends here, even outside of basketball. It’s going great.”

Moriah enrolled at Drexel University during the summer semester of 2022, but did not play for the Dragons.

She sat out the 2022-23 season after joining the Penn State program following the fall semester due to NCAA mid-season transfer regulations.

She played at Dunmore under coach O’Brien, a 2004 Penn State graduate.,

Moriah was named to the All PIAA AAAA team, All-Region First-Team and All-League Three First-Team every season. She was selected Times-Tribune Player of the Year as a freshman and senior.

She helped lead Dunmore to a 95-5 record, including three District 2 titles, four Lackawanna League Division 3 titles and an appearance in the 2019 state championship game.

She finished as Dunmore’s record holder for 3-pointers in a season with 87 and career with 279. She shot 52 percent from 3-point range and 89 percent from the foul line in four years.

She averaged 17.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game as a senior and 20.2 points in 10 career state playoff games.

Moriah was also a standout pitcher and shortstop as a softball player at Dunmore.,

Her two older sisters, Ashley and Courtney, played basketball at Marywood University.

Moriah played in all 35 games for Penn State last season. She averaged 4.3 points per game in 12.5 minutes per contest, but this year is playing a much more significant role as her minutes have more than doubled. She has quickly become one of the standout members of the team. And it’s only getting better.

Dunmorean of the Month: Rocco Riccardo

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Rocco Riccardo retires after sale of family business

By Steve Svetovich

All good things come to an end.

Such is the case with Riccardo’s Market, 1219 Wheeler Avenue, in Dunmore..

Riccardo’s Market has been a staple in the Dunmore community for close to 100 years.

However, Riccardo’s final day of business was Wednesday, October 30, as store owner Rocco Riccardo retired after selling to Schiel’s Market, a Shursave supermarket chain that owns stores  in Wilkes-Barre and Plains.

Riccardo, 61, Dunmore, is used to working 70 to 80 hours seven days a week and is ready for a rest.

“They know me very well at McDonald’s on the O’Neill Highway,” he said. “I am the first one there every morning for a coffee at 5:01 a.m. Then I head to the store to start my day. It’s a daily ritual seven days a week.

“I do a lot of different things at the store, including the maintenance. It’s all hands on. This is going to be a long-awaited vacation.”

There will be some renovations to the building this month as Schiel’s is slated to begin business December 1.

“My customers and employees mean a lot to me,” he said. “I had offers to sell before, but the deal had to include that all of my employees would be retained by the new company. Schiel’s agreed to that. We made that deal. So it’s good for me, good for the Schiel’s family and good for my employees and customers.”

Riccardo, the final owner and operator of the family business, has been a major part of the operation for the past 48 years.

There have been three locations in 100 years. The business has been owned by four generations of Riccardos.

Originally owned by his great-grandfather Salvatore Riccardo, the family-owned business originated in the early 1920’s.

“Our family dealt in produce back then,” said Riccardo, who will turn 62 in February. “Those were the horse-and-buggy days. We were hucksters.”

Riccardo’s original location was where DePietro’s Pharmacy stands today at 617 Third St., Dunmore.

In 1993, Rocco took over the family-owned business and bought the old Giant Market building on Blakely Street near the Dunmore police station and borough building. In 2008, Riccardo’s moved to its current location at 1219 Wheeler Ave., Dunmore.

Son of Betty and Salvatore Riccardo, Rocco has been working in the family business since he was 14.

“I used to go there right after school and on weekends. I worked there 40 hours a week when I was in high school.”

Rocco’s grandfather, also Rocco, took over the family business in the 1930’s. Eventually, Rocco’s dad Salvatore took over Riccardo’s Market. Rocco has been running the family business since 1993.

Rocco is married to the former Nancy Jennings. Their children have all been involved in the family business at one time or another. Those five children are Anna, 42; Sal, 41; Lexxus, 26, Elizabeth, 23, and Michael, 18. Michael was still working in the business up to its final day of operation.

The couple also has two grandchildren: Annalea, 8, and Aribella, 5.

Riccardo’s Market was open seven days a week, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Rocco said the Riccardo and DePietro families go back over 100 years. The two families used to be neighbors in the Bunker Hill section of Dunmore.

Rocco is a 1981 graduate of Bishop O’Hara in Dunmore. He also has a pilot’s license and studied welding at Johnson School of Technology. He once owned a plane.

“I loved working in this business everyday. I loved the customers and my great employees. I’ve seen three generations of customers. Some of my employees were with me 20 to 30 years. It’s going to be hard without my customers and employees. They are all like family to me. It’s tough to leave, but Schiel’s is going to be a nice fit for Dunmore,” Rocco says.

“My wife and I are going on a well-deserved vacation and then I want to spend more time with the family. My wife worked in the business, too. She did a lot in the greenhouse and with cooking. We want to spend a lot of time with our two grandchildren in Dover, PA.

“My dad and grandfather both died at 65. I thought it was time to retire now. I want to live to be 100. I want to enjoy my retirement.”